


Karma Sure Is a Funny Thing

by Einzel



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Gen, I sadly found nothing about Takao's middle school years so I made up my own version, I'm really sorry Takao, M/M, featuring Akashi Seijuurou and Takao's middle school coach, i wish i knew how to properly tag things, if you squint you can kind of sort of see a happy ending, prepare for a lot of angst and sadness before that though, the phantom sixth man may or may not be in there somewhere
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-26
Updated: 2016-04-26
Packaged: 2018-06-04 05:37:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6643516
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Einzel/pseuds/Einzel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>Karma sure is a funny thing. It’s because of you, Shin-chan, you personally, that I know exactly how you feel.</em>
</p><p>Takao reminisces about the past as he looks for Midorima after Shuutoku lost to Seirin at the Interhigh preliminaries. My first attempt at a non-linear narrative!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Karma Sure Is a Funny Thing

**Author's Note:**

  * For [charmingStrangeness](https://archiveofourown.org/users/charmingStrangeness/gifts).



> This one-shot, set in the canon timeline, was inspired by meta I've written on Kagami and Midorima's rivalry, which you can read [here](http://die-einzelganger.tumblr.com/tagged/knb%20meta). (It is currently incomplete. Check Part 2 for my analysis of Takao and Midorima's relationship, and why I headcanon that Takao was a shooting guard/all-rounder in junior high.)
> 
> However, this fic would not exist at all, had it not been for [charmingStrangeness](http://archiveofourown.org/users/charmingStrangeness) sending me an excellent prompt from the collection _The way you said "I love you"_ \- Over your shoulder, for Midorima and Takao. When I received the prompt, I briefly wondered when either of them might talk to the other over their shoulder, and then it hit me: they often do, whenever either one pulls the rickshaw. Since it's almost always Takao, I decided to write this from his perspective, which was seriously a lot of fun.
> 
> Comments and kudos are always welcome! I really enjoyed writing this, and I hope you will, too! <3

Back when Kimura-san accidentally knocked his foot against that Tanuki Shigaraki during half-time, Kazunari found his reaction hilarious. No disrespect to his senior, but shifting to one leg like a crane so he could cradle his foot in the middle of the locker room? And then easily lifting up the Tanuki with one hand? It sent mixed signals to say the least. Just how heavy could that thing be?

Well, it turned out Shin-chan could settle for nothing less than the real deal when it came to his lucky item of the day. Not only did that statue prove to be durable, but after forty minutes of intense game play, Kazunari had to carry it in both arms not to drop it. _Pottery, my ass! It feels more like a boulder! What were you thinking, Shin-chan?!_

Normally, carrying it would have been Midorima’s job, not his. According to the system their coach developed through trial and error, it cost one selfish act to have someone else carry Midorima’s things, so Shin-chan preferred to do that himself, and save his allotted quota of three selfish acts a day for more important things. Like trampling the upperclassmen’s pride into the ground by demanding they give him the ball for the entire second quarter. _Man, what a guy. He’s a bigger brat than me, sometimes…_

But after today’s game, Shin-chan had left behind more than just his lucky item. When he excused himself and left the locker room, he went away in nothing but a t-shirt he had put on over his uniform.

That was some twenty minutes ago. _Damn it…_

_Shin-chan, where are you?!_

* * *

“Are we ready to leave?” came their coach’s voice from the locker room doorway.

A quick scan with Kazunari’s Hawk Eye confirmed that everyone had finished changing into their orange tracksuits, though some still fiddled with the contents of their bags. To his left, Miyaji-san propped his foot on the bench to tie his shoelaces.

“We’re ready,” replied Ootsubo-san, his tone relatively calm despite that subtle undercurrent of bitterness. At his words, those who had been sitting now rose to their feet, while others pulled the straps of their bags over their shoulders.

“No, we’re not,” said Kazunari as he stood up behind them. “Midorima hasn’t come back yet.”

“Hasn’t he, hmm…” murmured the coach without a shred of concern. Kazunari’s eyes widened. Blank faces stared back at him in unnerving indifference.

“We need to look for him!” he carried on, taking a step forward. “I’ll go and—”

“Takao.”

Kazunari’s eyes shifted to Ootsubo-san, who slowly lowered his hand.

“There’s no need. Let him be.”

“But, why?!” begged Kazunari. “He’s Shuutoku’s ace! We can’t just leave him behind!”

“We’re not leaving him behind,” replied Kimura-san. “We’re just giving him space.”

“ _But—!_ ”

“There’s nothing we can do for him right now,” explained Ootsubo-san. “Midorima’s a proud man, and he’s just lost an official game. With his history, this might have been the first time in over four years. The younger and more inexperienced you are, the harder it is to process that kind of damage. I’m sure he needs some time alone to recover.”

Kazunari bit his lips shut. As if they needed to explain psychological damage to _him_.

* * *

_He couldn’t so much as make Midorima Shintarou glance down at him. For all the effect they had on these five, Kazunari and his teammates might as well had been invisible._

_From the corner of his eye, he caught Teiko’s captain preparing for a pass, so Kazunari redoubled his efforts to look threatening. Short though he was at age fourteen, certainly compared to his mark, Kazunari was not going to let them walk all over him. He shifted from one foot to another in constant motion as Akashi Seijuurou considered his options. Behind him, Teiko’s Number One Shooter remained completely stationary._

_Teiko’s captain ended up passing towards the inside. Kazunari risked a quick glance at Midorima Shintarou, whose hands now hovered by his chest._

What is he.. don’t tell me—!

_The next moment, the ball somehow curved, then came hurtling towards the two of them with rapid speed. Kazunari only had a split second to react, but he managed to reach out his hand in time._

I will not let you get this one! I’ll shoot it before you do!

_The ball connected with his palm, then knocked his hand backwards with brute force the likes of which Kazunari had never experienced in the course of his basketball career. His body twitched as the impact drove a spike of pain down the length of his arm and back. In its wake, his hand started throbbing like a heart full of broken glass._

_A moment later, the ball flew into the air above his head in an impossibly high arc. Kazunari turned around in disbelief, teeth gritted and his eyes straining to hold back tears._

_He only caught his mark’s back as Midorima Shintarou walked away from him, ready to defend their own goal next._

_As the ball fell through the ring, Kazunari could feel his heart break._

_123 – 49_

_126 – 49._

* * *

A moment later, he felt someone touch his shoulder.

“It would be nice to have Midorima with us when we got back, but it can’t be helped,” said Miyaji-san, who gave Kazunari’s shoulder another friendly tap on his way to the door. “So let’s just hope we’ll see him tomorrow.”

“Miyaji-san…” mumbled Kazunari, his face softening. Miyaji-san turned back to flash him a resigned smile.

“I can’t wait to murder him when he gets back,” he said next, his once tender expression now contorted into a grin of suppressed rage. “We had to give him the ball the entire second quarter and we still lost? I’ll kick his gangly ass through the ring.”

He then left the locker room without a word, missing Ootsubo-san’s jovial shake of the head. The others quickly followed him one by one, all except Kazunari, whose feet had congealed to the floor when Miyaji-san’s words turned his insides into ice.

He soon stood there quite alone, with nothing but two sports bags and a Tanuki Shigaraki to keep him company. So much for counting on Shuutoku to help him out here… didn’t they know that a team’s concern meant more than anything at times like this?

Kazunari sighed as he sank onto one of the benches, lifting his wrist to check his watch.

Ten minutes. He would give Midorima ten more minutes to recover.

* * *

_He had some nerve to yell at Coach like that. The captain smacked the back of his head about as hard as that basketball had hit his hand, but Kazunari stood his ground._

_As his reward, they iced, then taped his hand, so he could return to the court one more time._

_It wasn’t as though they had any other options. By that point, Kazunari could tell he was the only one with any fighting spirit left. Not that he could blame them. Teiko’s first string looked as unaffected by their line-up as ever. Midorima Shintarou didn’t even seem to notice his return, those cold, green eyes constantly fixed at heights Kazunari had no hopes of reaching._

Damn you for being so tall…

_Another pass came flying towards him. Kazunari hesitated for an instant._

_126 – 49_

_129 – 49._

No! It can’t end here! _screamed a voice inside him._ Even if my right hand is useless, even if I can’t take another one of those passes, my determination has to count for something…!

_138 – 49_

Anything…!

_147 – 49_

_Please..!!_

_150 – 49_

_161 – 49_

_I… can’t breathe…_

_173 – 49_

_179 – 49_

**182 – 49.**

* * *

Ten minutes later, Kazunari hoisted one bag onto each shoulder, then hauled the Tanuki Shigaraki into his arms, leaving the locker room without a sound.

He would search every hallway and major exit. If he couldn’t find Midorima within fifteen minutes, Kazunari would leave to get some dinner and then go home. Maybe toss the Tanuki in the trash, if he got tired enough of lugging that useless, ugly thing around.

At least, that’s what he told himself, until he noticed the downpour outside.

* * *

_After an eternity of staring at his swollen right hand, Kazunari lifted his head to look around the locker room._

_Muffled crying hit his ears. It was their point guard, sitting in the corner with his face buried in his hands. The captain placed a hand on his shoulder, but his fingers trembled._

_Wet faces. Ragged breathing. Lopsided shoelaces. Even Coach had thrown his back against the wall, eyes pinched shut and the grooves around his mouth deeper than gashes._

_Kazunari rose from his seat. He tried to speak, but his throat clogged up like an old drain._

_“I’m… gh… th-h… th… bth-hhm…”_

_His feet had turned to lead, but he still dragged them to the door. As his right hand twitched up instinctively to grab the handle, Coach stepped over to push the door open for him._

_Kazunari’s teeth chattered as he bowed his head, unable to force out a proper thank you._

_He entered the first bathroom he could find and locked himself into a stall, then sat down, pulling his legs up and out of view. Tears burned his cheeks as his chest clenched like a tight fist, leaving him gasping for breath._

_At one point, he heard his own scream, stifled by the thumb of his left hand._

_He stayed in there so long, the janitor locked him inside the stadium for the night._

* * *

_Bathrooms… I should check the bathrooms, too._

First things first, though, he ran outside to check if the rickshaw was still where he had left it. It was not unreasonable to suppose that their seniors wanted it for themselves. After playing two games in a row with Kazunari and Shin-chan on reserve, they would have definitely deserved to get a ride back on the rickshaw. Yet there it was, just as Kazunari had parked it. The bike shelter even managed to shield the cart from the rain.

A torn piece of paper winked at him from underneath the bell. Kazunari plucked it loose.

 _All yours_ —M. K.

Kazunari smothered a smile.

After a moment’s hesitation, he unloaded the Tanuki into the cart. It wasn’t like anyone would miss it if someone happened to “take interest in it” while Kazunari was gone.

“You had _one_ job,” he muttered under his breath as he tipped the Tanuki onto its back, staring in savage glee until it stopped wobbling around on the bottom of the cart. “ _Sayonara, Tanuki-kun._ ”

Kazunari then ran inside again to truly begin his search. The spectators’ balcony was the most unlikely place, but he would start there. After all, hawks worked best at greater heights.

* * *

_The next time Kazunari stepped into the gym, it was not in his usual sweatshirt and shorts, but his junior high gakuran. In his hands, he gripped a hand-written club resignation letter, and he gave it directly to Coach, without so much as looking at anyone else. After spending an entire night sleeping on a bench in the hallway of an empty stadium, with nothing but searing hatred to keep him warm, he had nothing to say to his former teammates._

_“Are you sure, son?”_

_“I’m sure, Coach.”_

_“You’re a talented kid, you know.”_

_“Hmph.”_

_“Don’t look at me like that, Takao.”_

_Coach always chided with a smile that betrayed silent, amused laughter. Of everyone in the basketball club, he was the hardest to let go._

_“And don’t go on comparing yourself to Midorima Shintarou,” continued Coach, catching Kazunari off guard. “You’re not a prodigy, but you’re not an ordinary player, either.”_

_“What do you mean, Coach?”_

_“Don’t act so surprised. Your percentage was higher than our previous shooting guard’s, so I had you take his place, but don’t think I never noticed how good you were at passing. You seem to have eyes in the back of your head, son.”_

_His finger hovered an inch from Kazunari’s nose._

_“Don’t force your shooting. You will never win a shooting match against that monster. When you are ready to pick up basketball again, try out for point guard. With your eyes and passing sense, you will make a great point guard.”_

_“But—”_

_“Trust me, son. Trust me when I say that there are many ways to beat a shooting guard, but becoming a better shooting guard isn’t an option here. So focus on what you’re best at, and practice harder than anybody else. One day, you will see what I mean.”_

_“Point guard, huh… I guess that might not be so bad.”_

_“That’s the spirit. Now go on, get out of here. Everyone’s feeling so down, practice is getting unbearable.”_

_“Ha ha, yeah. Thanks, Coach.”_

_It still took a few weeks to muster the strength to pick up a basketball, though, and it still burned the palm of his hand for a while, even while playing on abandoned street courts where no one could see._

* * *

Two floors, four bathrooms, and one right-side exit later, Kazunari skidded to a halt and doubled over by the left-side exit, planting his hands on his knees while he struggled to catch his breath. Static buzzed in his arms as yellow wisps swam in and out of his vision.

His throat felt like a desert. _Damn… I should have stopped for a drink…_

He lifted his head, eyes seeking puddles outside as his final resort.

_Maybe I’ll just lie down in the—_

Kazunari froze. At the end of the path leading from the exit to the stadium gates outside, he finally spotted a tall, slender figure without an umbrella. Though drenched by rainfall and veiled in the muted grays of a dreary evening, the whites and oranges of his shirt and shorts were unmistakable, even from a distance.

Kazunari slowly straightened, never taking his eyes off the apparition that continued to stare at the sky even as Kazunari opened the door to slip outside.

It took every ounce of his self-control not to howl in exasperation.

_Are you kidding me?! I can’t believe you, Shin-chan! Honestly… Leave it to you to do something annoying like going out to stand in the rain after losing to some guy… Were you really.. this upset…?_

After a long moment, he could feel his lips split apart. Quiet laughter forced its way into the evening, so light Kazunari could have floated away with it.

_Oh, man. Karma sure is a funny thing. It’s because of you, Shin-chan, you personally, that I know exactly how you feel..._

_…but I can’t bear to laugh at you, not even a little bit._

He gritted his teeth behind his smirk as he hoisted his bag into the air, to protect his head from the rain. _I’m not gonna go easy on you, though..!_

 **“ _There you are!_ ”** he yelled at the top of his lungs, startling Midorima into twisting abruptly to the right, then freeze to the spot in shock. He wouldn’t move even as Kazunari came rushing towards him, Midorima’s bag bouncing wildly by his side with every step.

Kazunari had never seen anyone look so pitiful. Shin-chan’s t-shirt got so damp, Kazunari could make out his uniform logo and number beneath the fabric. His hair, usually kempt and voluminous, now clung to his scalp like a helmet of steamed cabbage. His arms and legs prickled with goose bumps from the wind… but worst of all were the red corners of those large green eyes, and the paleness of his cheeks.

_I knew it… so why didn’t I go after him right away..?_

_Isn’t that what teammates are for, damn it?!_

“What are you standing in the rain for?! Are you stupid?!” snapped Kazunari as anger and concern clashed inside him. “I’ve been looking for you everywhere! You took so long, _everyone left without us!_ ”

Shin-chan continued to stare at him bewildered, though what surprised him so damn much, Kazunari couldn’t even guess. Oh well. He had no time for guessing games, anyway. He lowered his bag onto the top of his head, then released it with one hand.

“Now come inside and put your tracksuit on!” he groused as he grabbed Midorima’s wrist with his free hand, yanking hard enough to make him stumble forward and after Kazunari. “Hurry up or you’re gonna catch cold and Miyaji-san’s gonna kill us!”

He managed to drag Shin-chan inside, shove his bag into his hands, and force him to change inside the nearest bathroom without a single word, let alone any protest. It was almost eerie how silent he had become after his defeat.

Kazunari would have rather he argued. At least then Kazunari could have yelled at him, instead of struggling to keep himself together.

* * *

Ten minutes later, a trembling but appropriately clad Midorima obediently climbed into the rickshaw, carefully settling down by his Tanuki Shigaraki. ( _I guess no one wanted it after all_ , thought Kazunari with a wry smirk.) As Shin-chan carefully tipped the statue to its feet, then pushed it into the corner to secure it, Kazunari dropped his bag into the front of the cart, then took his seat on the bicycle. Normally, they would have played rock-paper-scissors to see who’d get to pull the rickshaw, but today had been anything but normal.

Rain pelted his head as he propped his elbows on the handlebars, eyes scanning the streets for any hint of a restaurant nearby. He vaguely recalled a sashimi bar further away… but didn’t he hear Ootsubo-san talk about an okonomiyaki place nearby the other day?

He did, he totally did. _From what Ootsubo-san said, it should be around that corner—_

“Takao..”

Kazunari blinked. He twisted around just enough to turn his head back towards Shin-chan, who now sat with his arms wrapped tightly around his knees, eyes seeking his. This was the first time he had spoken since Kazunari found him. Was he feeling better..?

“Hmm? What is it? Make it quick, Shin-chan, we’re gonna get soaked if we—”

“Why did you come looking for me?”

Kazunari stared at him stunned. Midorima’s throat visibly clenched.

“I… I failed at the last second, and cost Shuutoku the game,” he explained, his tone strained. “After I told everyone I would crush Seirin, single-handedly if need be, I was completely defeated, and now Shuutoku can’t advance to the Interhigh championship because of that. The entire team must be… furious, and disappointed in me. The upperclassmen— no, _everyone_ had every right to turn their backs on me… so why did you stay and look for me?”

Kazunari stared at him for a long moment, then slowly turned back towards the road, his cheeks uncomfortably hot.

_Are you serious, Shin-chan?! What do you want me to say to that? Do you want me to admit I worried about you so much I searched the entire stadium? That I went from hating your invincible, soul-crushing guts to getting upset when I realized you had been crying?_

_How… how lame would that be, if I could just… say it._

After a moment of silence, Kazunari turned his head back again, just enough to glance over his shoulder. His heart clenched. He had never seen anyone look so lost, or confused, as Shin-chan did at that moment, unable to find the answer. Raindrops fell and rolled down his cheeks, dripping from his chin. Kazunari bit his lip.

_You really are serious, aren’t you…_

_Heh. I guess even prodigies are human, somewhere. But, man… I can’t tell who’s being more pathetic right now. It makes me want to cry._

_Or, maybe it’s me, because I just can’t bring myself to say it._

“Because you’re my teammate, you idiot,” he muttered over his shoulder, then fixed his eyes on the road again, unsure if he was glad or annoyed that he still couldn’t get through to Shin-chan, on or off the court.

**Author's Note:**

> Midorima's first reaction was to ask why, going by Takao's logic, his seniors didn't stay to look for him as well. Takao ignored him for the rest of the ride. Giving Shin-chan that okonomiyaki hat at the restaurant was still completely unintentional, though.
> 
> If anyone has any questions regarding my headcanons or choices, please feel free to ask, I'll be happy to explain and talk about my stuff - readers caring about my interpretations always makes me so happy!


End file.
